


Omega - Honour Thy Father

by Goldenpetal13



Series: Omega Arrow [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Changing POVs, Changing Tenses, F/F, F/M, Family Death, Implied Femslash, Implied Knotting, Implied Mpreg, Implied Slash, M/M, Mating Bonds, Mentions of Death, Show level Violence and Death, Slash, alpha/beta/omega, mentions of abuse, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-16
Updated: 2014-03-21
Packaged: 2018-01-15 22:30:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1321621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldenpetal13/pseuds/Goldenpetal13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU – Still alone in Starling City, Oliver Queen turns his sights on Martin Somers, not only is the man on the list but he’s having a civil suit brought against him by Laurel.  In this fight to bring justice to his city Oliver will end up fighting the Triad while trying to dodge his mother’s well-meaning attempts to get him to join the company.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Rated Mature due to show level violence and themes.
> 
> Warnings: Slash, Fem Slash, Knotting, Mpreg, Alpha/Beta/Omega verse, show level violence and death, mentions of torture, mentions of abuse, grief, family deaths, others to be added as required.
> 
> Don’t like don’t read, though constructive criticism is always welcome (plus any reviews). 
> 
> I own nothing, literally.

The day I went missing is the day I died. Five years in hell forged me into a weapon, which I use to honour a vow I made to my father, who sacrificed his life for mine. In his final moments he told me the truth, that our family’s wealth had been built on the suffering of others. He’d failed our city and that it was up to me to save it and right his wrongs.  But to do that without endangering the people closest to me, I have to be someone else, I have to be something else.

 

The Queen Mansion Now: Oliver Queen

 

Dressed and ready for my moment in court, a moment which hasn’t been proceeded by something illegal, and that is a very novel feeling, I step into the living room to find my family watching the news.  They’re running the story about the man I visited last night, it seems he took my warning seriously and has refunded the money he stole.

 

Now there is one less name on the list and more thing I’ve put right.

 

Of course the news still brings my other hooded side into this and I stare at the picture of the vigilante, “This guy gets more air time than the Kardashians, right,” I make a joke to draw their attention away from the story.

 

“Five years on an island and you still know who they are,” Thea shoots back, she’s not a big fan of them.

 

“I’ve been catching up, I was anxious to see how much our culture had improved while I was away,” I tell them.

 

“This city used to be different,” Mom says, “People used to feel safe.”  And they did, but then my father and the people on the list helped to make it as bad as it is now.

 

“Oh what’s the matter mom?” Thea asks sarcastically, “Afraid we’re going to be next?”

 

As the slightest hint of tension enters the room, Walter steps in and defuses it by asking me, “Do you have any questions about today Oliver? It’s a simple proof of life declaration, just read out a brief prepared statement to the judge, and then your death in absentia judgement will be voided.”

 

“It’s fine Walter,” I tell him, “I have been in a courtroom before.”

 

“Four times by my estimate,” comes from behind me and it’s Tommy.  I didn’t expect him today.  “There’s the DUI, the assault on that paparazzi douchebag, stealing that taxi, which was just awesome by the way,” and at the time it had been. “And who could forget peeing on the cop?”

 

Walter is helping mom on with her coat and she’s not impressed with my past history, “I wish everyone would.”

 

Turning to Tommy I tell him, “I’d hang but we’re headed to court.”

 

“I know, that’s why I’m here, my best friend is getting legally resurrected, I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” and that is another side of Tommy, he’s loyal and he sticks with you through thick and thin.

 

“Okay,” I accept his offer to stand by me and ask Thea, “What about you?”

 

“Oh I think the first four times with you in court was enough for me,” she strolls up to me and then past me.

 

“Fair enough,” I have to accept her decision and I let her go, I can’t force her to come with me, it’s going to be bad enough as it is.

 

“Mrs Queen,” Mr Diggle appears, “The car’s ready.”  It’s our cue to leave.  Tommy even offers my mom his arm, she sails past him without saying a word.  Clearly she didn’t like being reminded about how I peed on a cop.

 

Starling City Courthouse Now: Oliver Queen

 

It’s as bad as I thought it would be.  The journalists are all lying in wait for me.  They’re determined to get something from me so they can run it over and over until something more interesting comes along.

 

They throw questions about what happened on the Island at me and I try really hard not to think about how the boat went down, how Sara screamed as the water ripped her away from me.  They crowd around me and I have to push past them.

 

It’s a relief to enter the building and leave them behind only then I have to stand in front of a judge and say the words that were written for me, “There was a storm.  The boat went down.  Sara Lance and I were the only survivors.”  These words don’t convey the reality of watching the boat go down, of screaming for Sara even as my father held me in the small life raft.  “My father didn’t make it,” I don’t tell them it’s because he shot himself so I could life.  “I almost died.  I thought I had because I spent so many days on that life raft before I saw the Island.

 

“When I reached it, I knew that I would have to life for both of us,” I make it sound like Sara was there the whole time, she wasn’t, she didn’t make it to the Island until much later, with Ivo.  I had to abandon the raft to swim the last bit to the beach, I had to drag myself up out of the water, exhausted, dehydrated, and still reeling from losing Sara and my father.

 

“And in those five years,” I try to say the rest of the words but I can’t, I just can’t.

 

“Your honour,” My lawyer stands up and rescues me, “We move to rescind the death in absentia filed after Oliver’s disappearance at sea aboard the Queen’s Gambit five years ago. Unfortunately we will not be requesting that the declaration of death filed for the petitioner’s father, Robert Queen, be rescinded.  The Queen family is only entitled to one miracle I’m afraid.”

 

My death is legally reversed and I leave the courtroom alive and well.  I walk out with my family glad that’s over with.  It was harder than it should have been, Slade would tell me I was being all emotional again and then probably spoil me for a few hours. I miss him.

 

Mom twists around to look back at me, “Now onto the offices,” that was the plan after all. “Everyone is waiting to meet you there.”

 

“Er Mom,” I interrupt her, “That was um, a little bit heavier than I was expecting it to be, can we do that tomorrow, please.”

 

“Of course,” she tells me and I’m free for the rest of the day to just be me.

 

“Thank you,” I say and they leave to go to the office as Tommy sticks with me.

 

“Last week you couldn’t wait to get to the company,” Tommy points out.

 

“Tommy I just spent five years away from civilisation I wasn’t exactly thinking straight,” and as lies go it’s pretty weak.  We reach the bottom of the stairs and walk straight into Laurel who comes around the corner.  “Hi,” I greet her surprised to see her, though it makes sense she would be here, she is a lawyer.

 

“What are you doing here?” She asks looking as surprised as I feel.

 

“Oh, er, they were bringing me back from the dead, legally speaking.  What are you doing here?”  And that is a really stupid question.

 

“My job,” And I want to kick myself because I knew that.

 

“Right,” I nod

 

“More like the DA’s,” one of the two women with her says.  I recognise her from the CNRI where Laurel works, she must be another lawyer, I think her name is Joanna.   All three women do not look at happy at what she said.

 

The last women is not dressed like Laurel or her friend, so I hold my hand out to her, “Hi, Oliver Queen.”

 

“Er, Emily Nocenti,” she says and I tuck her name away to check out later.

 

Laurel doesn’t appear to be pleased by my actions and says, “Oliver just got back from five years on an uncharted Island, so don’t mind him, and we need to go.”  She walks off and doesn’t look back.

 

“It was nice to meet you,” Emily follows her with Joanna backing her up.

 

“Come on buddy,” Tommy pats my shoulder and chest, “Let’s go.”   I take his advice and step out of the courthouse into the sunshine.  Down the bottom of the steps is a man surrounded by the press.

 

I listen in as he gives a very pretty speech, what catches my attention is Laurel’s name, this man is here because of Laurel.  I make a note of his name too.  Somehow Emily and this man are connected.

 

With the press’s attention taken up with Martin Somers I make my way down the steps, but with him leaving they quickly spot me and Tommy and converge on us.

 

Starling City Courthouse Now: John Diggle

 

Trying to keep the rabid press off of his client John manages to get Oliver into the car.  The idiots surround the car and John says, “Okay everyone step back,” they ignore him because getting run over by a car is fine as long as they get the sound bite or photo that makes the news.

 

Annoyed by their persistence John threatens to jam a guy’s Nikon down their throat.

 

Behind him the car, with Oliver in it, peels off leaving John behind and he mentally curses the kid for ditching him again.  The only thing that doesn’t stick in his craw about it is that the Merlyn kid got ditched too. For a second John thinks of being nice to the kid and offering him a lift before he tries to hunt down Oliver Queen, but the kid opens his mouth and says, “This happens to you a lot, doesn’t it,” he doesn’t even bother turning it into a question.

 

Damn Oliver Queen, and damn Tommy Merlyn, the kid can walk.


	2. Chapter 2

Starling City Courthouse Now: Martin Somers

 

Sitting beside his lawyer Martin listens as Laurel Lance gives her opening speech, “How much is a life worth? A life of a man, a good man, a stevedore on the docks of this city in which we live.” He has to admit she’s good at what she does, and that is worrying. He was careful, he made sure there wasn’t enough evidence to bring the cops into this, but Nocenti’s brat kept pushing and now she’s got a damn good lawyer backing her.

 

He should have known when Victor Nocenti was dragged in front of him threatening to talk to the cops that things would get messy.

 

This Lance knows far too much about his links to the Chinese Triad. She tells the court about the bribes he gets for allowing them to use his docks. If this bitch can prove it in a court of law then his life is over, the Triad will cover their tracks, there won’t be anything to link it back to them, not properly. That’s one of the reasons he ordered Victor killed in the first place.

 

Martin didn’t get his hands dirty but he didn’t flinch when the Triad’s main killer slit Victor’s throat, it wasn’t the first execution he’d seen her perform.

 

“Mr Somers is very well connected and has friends in the District Attorney’s office,” And they cost him a lot of money to make too. Friends that buried the investigated into Nocenti’s death. “Which is why if Emily Nocenti is to get justice for her father’s death, if Martin Somers is to get justice for his crimes, then someone is going to have to do it for them.”

 

It’s a pity she’s so damn good at her job, but Martin can’t risk this trial going on for much longer, this has to be stopped, and soon.

 

Starling City Abandoned Factory Now: Oliver Queen

 

Martin Somers.

 

Laurel’s targeted the worst of this city so it’s no surprise his name is on my father’s list. The city’s police and DA can’t stop him; or won’t. Laurel thinks she’s the only one willing to bring him to justice. She’s wrong.

 

I exercise and check my equipment.

 

When the sun dips below the horizon I put on the hood and head out.

 

Starling City Docks Now: Martin Somers

 

“You,” Martin points at the man that’s supposed to be sorting this for him, “Listen up, the longer this goes on the more likely the media’s gonna crucify me. You shut this trail down, you hear me,” he needs this over and quickly.

 

“Yes sir,” Is the quick reply as the warehouse is plunged into darkness.

 

Flashes of light and thunks of arrows hitting targets has Martin looking around in stunned surprise, he can’t see where the attacker is, he can only see the man’s handywork and then a very powerful Alpha presence smashes into him and realises who it is. He does not need the damn Vigilante getting mixed up in his business.

 

Someone grabs him from behind and it all goes black.

 

When he opens his eyes he knows something is really wrong. He’s hanging upside down and swaying. The image of the Vigilante is blurry and hard to focus on.

 

“Martin Somers,” the Alpha in the hood calls his name.

 

“No,” he yells not believing this is happening.

 

“You have failed this city,” the man’s voice is cold as he reaches for an arrow, and then suddenly the bow is drawn and that arrow is pointing right at Martin.

 

“No, no, no, no, no,” He screams as the arrow is released and flashes past him far too close for comfort.

 

“You are going to testify in that trial,” the Alpha carries on talking his aura changing to one of command, as a Beta Martin can feel himself wanting nothing more than to submit to this Alpha and obey him. “You’re gonna confess to having Victor Nocenti killed.”

 

Babbling to ward off the presence clouding his thoughts Martin is only vaguely aware he’s saying, “No.”

 

“There won’t be a second warning,” Is snarled at him and a second arrow is readied. Helplessly Martin hangs there and this time the arrow caresses his face with a sharp sting. He clutches his hand to his cheek to find there’s blood on his face from a shallow cut.

 

Pulling his hand away he realises the Alpha’s presence is gone, as is the Alpha, he’s all alone on this part of the docks.

 

The Queen Mansion Now: John Diggle

 

Moira Queen might not be the most physically imposing person he’s ever met, but she carries herself better than most Alpha’s he’s ever met. She might be a Beta but she doesn’t act like it most of the time.

 

At the moment she’s very unhappy at him for not doing his job properly, “I hired you to protect my son. Now I’m not a professional bodyguard, but it seems to me that the first requirement would be managing to stay next to the man you’re hired to protect,” she doesn’t raise her voice and yet still manages to nail her points home. He knows a few drill sergeants that were less effective when they were screaming in his face.

 

“With all due respect ma’am I’ve never had a client that didn’t want my protection,” and he’s still mad that Oliver gave him the slip, again. The Omega is astonishingly brilliant at it.

 

“I hired you,” she says, “That makes me the client. Now where do you think my son is going on these chaperone less excursions?” She sounds as mystified as he is.

 

“Ma’am I truly do not know,” Because if he did he’d have tracked the Omega there long before now.

 

“And he truly doesn’t,” As usual Oliver just waltz in like he hasn’t been missing all day and confounding John’s ability to find him.

 

Oliver’s mom doesn’t let him get away with something so very vague, “Then perhaps you’d like to share with me, you know, where it is you run off to.”

 

Coughing out a mini laugh Oliver gives a very convincing act of being embarrassed and says, “I’m a Bonded Mated Omega and my Alphas aren’t here.”

 

“I know that Oliver,” she says unimpressed and stares him down.

 

“Mom,” the word is partly strangled, “It’s been a long time since I was with my Alphas and while I have,” he pauses and shifts his weight from one foot to another, “Something,” he emphasises the word, “To mimic what Alphas to do their Omegas, I can’t use that here because no one gives me privacy for long enough. Thea is always barging into my room, I don’t think that’s something she needs to see.” And Oliver’s hinting that he’s using a sex toy to simulate the Alpha knot, it would help him control his instincts as his Alphas are far away and it could be a viable excuse except John is calling bullshit on this, something doesn’t quite sit right.

 

“I see,” and Moira falls for it straight away. It’s a good excuse and the time away could be Oliver holding the toy inside him for up to an hour at a time and then dozing off afterwards like Omegas would do with their Alpha.

 

“I promise to let you know if my instincts scream at me like that, so you won’t worry,” the boy tries to sooth his mother.

 

“No,” She rejects it instantly and walks towards her son, “I want you to promise you’ll take Mr Diggle with you on your next,” now she pauses for a second, “moment of privacy.” Because John’s always wanted to watch an Omega sitting on a toy and then passing out from happy hormones. “It’s not safe, you’ve already been abducted once,” John watches Moira push her son’s buttons and he’s glad she’s no longer upset at him. “There is a maniac out there hunting the wealthy.”

 

“That maniac saved my life,” Is pointed out and John waits to see how Moira going to react, because he’s guessing it won’t be joyfully.

 

He’s right, “”This isn’t a game. I lost you once, and I am not going through that again.”

 

The guilt trip does its job and John has got to give her points for getting Oliver to say, “Okay. Digg’s my guy,” Like that’s going to make any difference, the kid is still going to give him the slip, he can feel it in his gut.

 

“Thank you,” His mom says and walks off leaving the two men alone.

 

It’s interesting to watch Oliver radiate apology, something John is certain the kid doesn’t really feel, “Sorry to give you so much grief,” is said with complete sincerity.

 

“I served three tours in Afghanistan Mr Queen,” John does the button on his suit jacket up, “You don’t even come close to my definition of grief.” He walks over to his client and wonders why he isn’t walking away from this job, why he can’t let the mystery of Oliver Queen go, why he’s determined to find out more about this very private, deep, and complicated Omega. He does warn him, “I’ll tell you what, you ditch me one more time, and no one will have to fire me.” He’ll put up with only so much before he’ll cut his loses, mystery solved or not.

 

The Queen Mansion Now: Thea Queen

 

Seeing Mr Diggle walking off with a frown on his face doesn’t surprise her, mom had most probably bitten the guy’s head off for losing Ollie; again.

 

“Where are you going?” And speaking of Ollie. He’s standing in the living room and being all judgemental again.

 

“Err somewhere loud and smoky,” She tells him, “Oh and don’t bother pickpocketing my stash this time,” she knew she hadn’t dropped it, the only person that could have taken it was Oliver, “Because I’m going to go get drunk this time instead.”

 

“Thea,” He starts getting all serious faced, “You think this is what dad would want for you?” And he’s going back into hypocritical lecture mode again.

 

“Dead people don’t want anything, it’s one of the benefits of being dead,” She tells him.

 

“I was dead,” He points out like that hadn’t impacted on her life for five long years. “And I wanted a lot.”

 

She can’t believe he’s doing this to her, trying to guilt trip her, “Except for your family,” she verbally swipes back. “You’ve been home a week and all you do is avoid mom, ignore Walter, and judge me. Don’t wait up,” she stalks off before she starts really yelling at him.


	3. Chapter 3

Starling City Docks Now: Quentin Lance

 

Sitting there looking like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth Martin Somers feeds him bullshit about not needing the police. Quentin isn’t a total idiot, he knows the Hood guy was here, the homicidal vigilante paid Martin Somers a visit last night, a visit that means he set an ultimatum. If Martin Somers doesn’t give into the guy’s scare tactics then the vigilante is going to come back and there is going to be a body hiding the decks soon.

 

While Martin Somers being dead won’t upset Quentin, in fact he’ll sleep easier knowing this scum is dead, he’s a cop, he can’t just let someone waltz around his city dropping bodies, no matter who the bodies are. The law doesn’t work that way.

 

“Well I owe you an apology Mr Somers,” Quentin stands on the other side of the desk and pretends he doesn’t see the cut on the man’s face. “We came all the way down to your docks and it turns out you don’t need the police after all.”

 

“Which is exactly what I’ve been saying,” Somers says calmly.

 

“Yeah, I guess that 911 call that we got last night from your stevedore saying that you were getting attacked by a guy in a green hood and a bow and arrow, I guess well,” he leans down and touches Somer’s desk, right where there’s a big hole in it, a hole that an arrow head would fit into perfectly. “Was that a practical joke?”

 

They both know it wasn’t. They both know the hood guy was here. Somer’s keeps his calm, “These guys like to fool around.”

 

“Yeah, well I’d be very much inclined to believe an honest, upstanding, business man, like yourself, except,” Quentin motions for the uniform to bring the evidence bag over. “Well one of my men,” he takes the arrow out of the bag, “Found this at your docks.” He holds the green arrow up so Somer’s can see it clearly.

 

“You see there’s this vigilante running around, he thinks he’s some kind of Robin Hood, he’s robbing the rich, he’s trying to teach them a lesson I guess. I don’t know, I don’t know.” Quentin edges towards Somer’s desk. “But the point is, the man’s a killer, and nothing, and no one, is gonna stop me from bringing him down. But like you said,” he slots the arrowhead smoothly into the hole in Somer’s desk, showing that the original hole was made by another arrow, “Clearly nothing happened here last night.”

 

“Isn’t this a conflict of interest Detective?” Somer’s asks. “After all your daughter is suing me.”

 

“I’m pretty good at keeping my emotions in check,” he answers back.

 

“I’m not,” Somer’s says and there’s that something in his voice and in his eyes that Quentin’s seen too many times. The man is angry and he’s dangerous, and this does not bode well for anyone that gets in his way. Getting to his feet Somer’s straightens his suit jacket, “You and your daughter do not what to find out what I am capable of when I get emotional.” The threat hangs there and Quentin takes it very seriously.

 

Starling City Queen Consolidated Now: Oliver Queen

 

I’m more than impressed with all the changes. Walter has done some amazing things. The man really knows how to run a business. The whole building has been modernised.

 

Stepping out of the elevator Walter echoes my thoughts, “As you can see Oliver we’ve modernised quite a bit.” I whistle my impressed awe as my mom walks next to me, her arm linked in mine.

 

Lots of people stare at me and I greet them gently, in the past having women swoon at me would have been a giant boost to my already inflated ego. Now I can easily sweep past them and carry on with the tour Walter is giving.

 

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Mom asks me.

 

“Yes I am,” And I really am. I’m spending time with mom and with Walter, whom I’m learning to like despite myself, and I want to show this off to my Alphas, to Sara. My nesting instincts like the fact that this business provides us with money so we can get food and shelter, that we can use this to provide more than the basics to our group’s future children.

 

“I remember when your father used to bring you here when you were a boy,” Walter holds open the glass office door for us, “You always were so excited.”

 

“Dad let me drink soda in the office,” I tell him and start to explore the office to appease my instincts to nest up here with Slade. We’d have amazing views of the city, but it’s not home, not like our house is.

 

“Ah so that’s why you enjoyed coming,” Mom sounds amused and happy.

 

Walter keeps talking as I walk around, “The Queen Consolidated success of late is a result of its targeted diversification. We have been making impressive inroads in cutting edge fields like bio-tech and clean energy.”

 

“That’s neat,” I interrupt him wondering what this has to do with me. I wave to the woman outside the office, “Can I get a sparkling water, or something cold please?”

 

“Sweetheart,” Mom beckons me closer, “Oliver. Walter and I have something to discuss with you. Come, please sit.” She gestures to the chairs in the office.

 

“Mom it makes me nervous when you ask me to sit down,” I act like I don’t know they’re about to do something big.

 

They both stay standing and Walter says, “The company’s about to break ground on a new site for the Applied Sciences Division. And we would like to honour your father by dedicating the building in his name.”

 

“Nice,” I nod and wait for the rest of it.

 

Mom is the one that drops the news, “And we’d like to make an announcement at the dedication, that you will be taking a leadership position in the company.” That’s something I can’t do, or be. I still have my mission, I have to right my father’s wrongs, I have to fulfil the promise I made to him. And I have my Alphas coming, once the city is safe I’ll be having children, as much as dad did his best to be there for me and Thea he had to work a lot too, I don’t want that for my children, I don’t want to be that parent either.

 

I’m going to have to disappoint mom and Walter, maybe even hurt them, and I may have to dishonour my father in the process.

 

Starling City Queen Consolidated Now: John Diggle

 

“No,” Oliver’s answer is instant and calm.

 

“No your company,” Moira says walking towards her son like it’s going to make a difference once this boy has made up his mind about something. “Your company.”

 

“No, I don’t want to lead anything, besides Walter is doing a very good job here,” It’s the first time John’s heard the kid say anything nice about his stepdad and this one rings true.

 

However, Moira clearly isn’t going to let this one go, she seems to think that just because she won earlier and got Oliver to back down and accept Digg as his bodyguard that the boy is always going to back down. John doesn’t know him that well, but he’s observed him, and he knows that this isn’t something that Oliver’s going to just roll over and accept. “You said,” she tries and John waits for the rest of it, “”You wanted to be a different person, and you are Robert Queen’s son.”

 

“I don’t need to be reminded of that,” And John gets to see a very slight recoil from the boy, there’s something there, something about his dad.

 

“Well obviously you do,” She tells him.

 

Walter moves closer to Moira and they stand together. John is getting used to this dynamic, Walter will back Moira up and try to defuse the situation at the same time, “Everyone here understands that this transition is really difficult for you.”

 

“Thank you Walter,” Oliver’s voice is even and John tenses slightly because he can spot the signs that the boy is about to do something, something that usually diverts attention away from whatever issue he doesn’t want to talk about or have people focus on. “Which part though? Everyone fantasying that I got my MBA while I was on the Island? Or the fact that my father’s CFO now sleeps down the hall from me?”

 

The tactic works flawless and Oliver’s mother turns away from her son with a disappointed look on her face and shaking her head. She doesn’t see the guilt that flickers across the boy’s face, he regrets hurting them. “You know five years ago your irresponsibly was somewhat charming. It is a lot less so now.” She leaves the office and Walter follows her silently.

 

Neither of them see the way Oliver stokes his fingers. The boy rubs the first joint in from the knuckles and then absently rubs a hand over his abdomen.

 

With the tour now ruined Oliver decides to leave. John gets a call sent to the driver and leads the way to the car. This time Oliver doesn’t duck out on him and they sit in the car as the press rings the car to try to get a picture of his client.

 

A client that has let his mask slip a little bit, he’s no longer hiding some of his emotions, he’s radiating faint anger, pain, frustration, and guilt through his Omega aura. “The driver will be here in a minute,” John says.

 

“Okay,” Is said far too calmly, Oliver is clearly used to bottling up his emotions and hiding what he’s feeling.

 

“You know I spent the first twenty seven years of my life in Starling City and the next five in Afghanistan,” John says it conversationally, like it’s nothing. “You wanna know what I learned?”

 

“There’s no place like home?” Again the voice is too calm.

 

“No just the opposite. Home is a battlefield. Back home they’re all trying to get you. Get you to open up. Be somebody you’re not sure you are anymore,” he glances across to see a thoughtful look on Oliver’s face, the boy is listening to him and there’s a type of understanding there too, the kind only someone else who’s been through it can understand.

 

“I could be wrong, maybe after five years trapped on the Island you’re not as messed up in the head as you have a right to be.” Just one more thing to add to the growing mystery of Oliver Queen.

 

Lian Yu Then: Oliver Queen

 

I hadn’t moved from the beach area I’d washed up on. I’d managed to find water and I even pulled a few braches together to use as a very rough shelter. The cries of the seagulls woke me from my troubled sleep. They were flocking around the raft and pecking at my father’s body.

 

Yelling and shouting at them I ran to the raft to scare them off. The smell hit me first, the rotting miasma coming from the raft was awful, at that point in my life it was the worst thing I’d ever smelt. It turned my stomach so badly I vomited onto the beach, I didn’t have much more than water in there but I emptied everything out anyway.

 

I hadn’t even gone far to thrown up and the gulls were back, I had to chase them off again. Not that they really listened to me. Numb with grief I didn’t really know what to do. I’d never had to make decisions on my own before, dad or mom was always there, I floundered lost.

 

The gulls would only come back again so I couldn’t leave him there. With few options open to me I decided to bury him on the rocks. They wouldn’t be able to get to him there, he’d be safe from them.

 

It took a bit to lift him up and over my shoulder and I staggered towards where I was going to bury him. My body was so weak from everything I’d been through and the lack of food. I didn’t think I’d be able to do it, but I had to try, I took it one step at a time and it seemed to last forever.


	4. Chapter 4

The Queen Mansion Now: Oliver Queen

 

I’m standing in the fuselage of the plane on the Island at night. This is where I first met Slade. This is where he Bit me out of necessity because we didn’t understand then how Yao Fei had Bonded to me, and we didn’t understand about Shado.

 

Looking around the dark rusting hulk of broken metal I discover I’m naked and my hands are tied. There’s a rope dangling down from the ceiling and I’m tied to that, it means my arms are half raised. Moonlight filters down into the plane and there’s a noise in front of me.

 

Someone’s there in the dark shadows watching me, I jerk on the ropes to get away and a voice says, “It’s okay kid. Relax.” It’s Slade. He’s here. The fear fades to be replaced by anticipation, this time I yank on the ropes to get free and to go to him. His rough chuckle is warm, “So eager for your Alpha,” I whimper and nod pathetically, of course I am, he’s my Alpha, I’m his Omega.

 

“Please,” I beg him, “Please Slade.”

 

“You only had to ask,” He says, that damn voice of is rich, dark, and that stupid accent of his only makes it worse. He steps into one of the beams of moonlight and that cocky confident smile is on his lips. He’s dressed for battle. His swords poke out over his shoulders. He moves like the lethal Alpha he is and my knees get weak as my body tries to submit utterly to him and make me fall to the floor in supplication to him.

 

I’m panting and hard by the time he leisurely strolls up to me. I can feel dampness sliding down the back of my legs from my ass. I’m ready for my Alpha to claim me in every way.

 

“Oliver,” He breathes my name onto my lips, I try to move my head forward to kiss him but he moves back, “Uh-uh, not until I’ve Bitten you. Not until I’ve made you mine.”

 

Moving my head to the side I expose my right shoulder to him, it’s smooth and unblemished, “Please Slade,” I beg him. “Please Bite me. Make me yours. Only yours.”

 

A gloved hand holds my left hip, and then his other hand rests on my ribs. He kisses my shoulder first and I whine trying to buck into him, it makes him chuckle again, “Oliver, I’m going to enjoy making you mine,” and then he Bites me. His teeth slice through my skin with ease and it should hurt, it’s a wound and it should hurt, only it doesn’t, it feels so good I scream his name as he claims me marking me for life.

 

Walking with a silent scream I crumple on the bed and shudder as the orgasm rips through me. Confused I blink to find myself at home, in my bed, alone. I’ve not had that dream in years. It started the first night after Slade Bit me but didn’t consummate the Bonding. It happened every single night after that and to start with I was so sure he would mock me, instead he helped me clean up and he began to treat me differently. The dream stopped after we finally consummated our Mating I’ve not had it since.

 

When my breathing settles I trek to the bathroom and wipe myself clean throwing my soiled nightwear onto my bed. I strip my bed down and sneak it down, along with the boxers I was wearing, to the laundry. The sun is just peeking over the horizon so I try to get the load into the washing machine without being seen.

 

Raisa catches me at it, “Mr Oliver,” I try to hide the really obvious set of sheets I’m stuffing into the machine but she taps my hand and pushes me away. “No, they do not go in like that.” She pulls the sheets out again and I fidget in embarrassment. “I will show you. See you put these ones in here, and those ones go later. Do not worry so child. You are Mated, these things happen. Soon your Alphas will be here and this will clear up.”

 

“Thank you,” I tell her and I’m grateful for her understanding.

 

She makes me go to the kitchen and then puts milk on the stove to warm it up. I’m made to drink down the hot milk and spoonful of honey before she helps me make my bed. Tucking me in she pats my shoulder, “Soon you will be reunited, until then I will help you wash things if you need it, okay?”

 

“Okay Raisa, and thank you again,” I let her fuss me a bit more, I’m exhausted, drained, the effects of being away from my Alphas are setting in. I fall into a restless sleep as the sunlight begins to fill my room.

 

Starling City CNRI Now: Laurel Lance

 

Joanna tries to explain to Emily, “Well we anticipate that Somer’s attorney will try to paint you as blinded by grief, or looking to make a buck.”

 

“But this isn’t about the money,” Emily says, “I just want justice for my father.”

 

“Emily,” Laurel steps in, “There are a lot of people that don’t want this trial to proceed. Dangerous people.” The ease at which Martin Somers had Emily’s father killed attests to how dangerous he is, but Martin Somers has connections and those connections were just as dangerous if not more so.

 

Rather than backing down Emily comes back with, “My mother died when I was a baby and my father has been the only family I’ve ever known, and they slit his throat. They are going to have to kill me if they want me to give this up.”

 

“Well let’s hope that it doesn’t come to that,” Laurel says.

 

“And it won’t,” her father’s voice says. He’s walking in with three uniforms.

 

“What’s going on?” Laurel asks and then finds out that her dad is setting the cops on them for protection. These people are supposed to follow them around in case something bad happens. She fights back, he tried this when she got her first boyfriend and it didn’t work then either. She is not weak. She isn’t a princess in a tower that needs to be rescued, she can take care of herself.

 

Finding out about the attack on Martin Somers is a shock and ti throws her for a few moments. She finally backs down when he points out how dangerous they could be and then he walks off so she quietly seethes and decides to tell him ‘I told you so’ when it turns out she wasn’t attacked.

 

Emily is the most likely target anyway and Laurel doesn’t want her to get hurt.

 

Starling City Docks Now: Martin Somers

 

He watches her walk towards him. She always looks so slight. So tiny. He’s seen her kill enough times that she scares him. She might be an Omega but she’s deadly.

 

“Thank you for coming,” He stays polite with her, no need to anger her or make her think he’s already planning on running if things go south.

 

“Anything for a friend,” Is her reply, he’s not sure she has friends.

 

“We’re not friends,” He knows she’d kill him in an instant if it suited the Triad to have him dead. “You smuggle drugs. I let you use my port.”

 

“For which you are paid a lot of money,” She reminds him.

 

“I don’t get paid enough to have arrows shot at me. You need to take this guy seriously. He is a bigger threat to your operation than Nocenti ever was,” he warns her.

 

“Except now it’s Nocenti’s daughter that’s the problem,” She counters. “Unlike your friend with the hood, we know where to find her.”

 

Oh god, can’t she see the problem with that? “Don’t be an idiot. You take out Emily Nocenti, Laurel Lance will never let this go,” He’s seen her in action and he’s a good judge of character, she’s as relentless as her father. “She won’t stop until she burns you, me, and the entire Triad to the ground.”

 

“Then we kill Miss Lance,” Is the woman’s answer and Martin knows if this hit goes wrong his life is over, if Lance doesn’t get him, either one or both of them, then the Triad will erase him.

 

The Queen Mansion Now: Thea Queen

 

Raisa had said that Oliver was still sleeping this morning so Thea did her own thing for a few hours. Finally she walks past his door to hear the TV on in his room. He must be up and awake again. From the sound of it he’s watching the news, they’re running the case that Laurel’s working on.

 

Walking in the open door she sees him standing there without his shirt on and stops dead in her tracks. She knew he’d been hurt at some point on the Island, that he was Bonded and Mated, but no one told her about the scars littering his body. She can’t even begin to imagine what would have caused any of them, except his right shoulder, it’s a mess of bites and she swallows back her revulsion of Ollie being Bitten so savagely.

 

He’s putting a shirt on as she walks briskly towards him, “Wait, how did you get those?”

 

He huffs out a breath at her and yanks the shirt on covering himself and the scars up, “Don’t you knock?” He’s angry.

 

“Don’t, no, wait. Mom said there were scars,” she grabs the shirt’s material and spreads it open to see the tattoo on his chest and it exposes his left shoulder, a shoulder where there are three interlocking Bites, they’re clear and crisp and clean. Her gaze is dragged down his body to where yet more scars range across him. “I, I’m,” she stammers and looks up to see he’s closed off again, he’s shut her out, “Oliver what happened to you out there?” This man in front of her isn’t her brother, not her Ollie, not her laughing brother who loved her and made the world light up whenever he was around.

 

He keeps looking away from her and slides the shirt closed, he starts to button it up, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

The man that finally looks her in the eyes is a stranger to her, she scoffs in confusion and the stirrings of anger, she was supposed to get her brother back, she was supposed to have Ollie in her life again. ”Of course you don’t, you never want to talk to me about anything. Except for my social life,” she goes to leave.

 

“Wait,” He snaps out. “Where are you going?” He’s judging her again, this man that looks like her brother.

 

“Why should I tell you?” She wonders out loud.

 

“I’m sorry Thea, I need to get better at talking about what happened to me there, but I’m not ready yet,” His voice is soft and it gives her hope that her Ollie is still in there somewhere. “Okay?”

 

“Do you have a second?” She decides to try and show him what losing him meant to her. She takes him to the graves, explains about mom and how she didn’t handle her husband and son dying. How Thea came out here by herself to talk to Ollie, to talk to her brother. She tries to tell him how much she needs him to let her in, to stop shutting her out, she’s not sure how well it goes, but at least she told him.


	5. Chapter 5

Starling City Laurel Lance’s Apartment Now: Oliver Queen

 

After Thea’s little talk I needed someone to talk to. My Alphas and Sara are far away and nowhere near Skype. I got a craving for ice cream and remembered a promise I’d made to myself on the Island.

 

I hope that Laurel meant it about her offer to talk.

 

Standing outside her apartment I knock on the door. The cops sitting outside her building have me a little worried for her. She opens the door with a questioning look, “Hey,” I greet her. “Are you okay? There are two cop cars outside.”

 

“What are you doing here Ollie?” She asks me and dodges my question.

 

I garble something about Thea and pointing out distance and letting people back in. She steps back without a word and invites me in. “Thank you,” I tell her softly and look around to find nothing has changed, “This place hasn’t changed in five years,” for a while this place was home away from home for me.

 

“I haven’t really had time to redecorate,” she says annoyed and I guess she wouldn’t have had time if she went to school, she was always so studious and worked hard, I can easily imagine her spending all her time studying.

 

“I’m a jerk,” I admit to her. “Before the Island I was a jerk, and now I’m a just a damaged jerk.”

 

She notices I’m carrying something, “What’s in the bag?”

 

I hold it up and tell her that I used to dream about eating this on the Island and that I promised myself I would eat it with her if I ever got back. I pull the tub of ice cream out of the bag and it’s her favourite flavour.

 

We end up stuffing our faces, she eats out of a bowl curled up on the couch. I eat straight out of the tub where I sit on the floor, “This is as good as I remember,” I sigh in happiness glad something I remembered is truly the same.

 

We used to talk too, I used to be able to tell her nearly anything and she would listen to me. She always was better than I deserved. “My mother wants me to join the company,” Laurel pulls a face, she knows it’s a bad idea too. “Yeah, take my rightful place.”

 

Stabbing her ice cream with her spoon Laurel says, “I can’t exactly picture you as master of the universe.”

 

“You know after five years, I have plans,” There’s the list and my Alphas, there’s the kids I’m going to have. “I have things that I have to do. I can’t do that if I’m, I don’t know, attending board meetings, and stock holder briefings.”

 

“Oliver,” Laurel says firmly, “You’re an adult. You can say no,” and she makes it sound so easy.

 

“Oh I tried, didn’t take,” Mom is still trying to get me to join the company.

 

“Well then, don’t tell her, show her,” Is the advice Laurel gives me, it catches on something in my head and I feel the flicker of a plan starting to be born. “Be the person that you want her to see you as. Trust me I have plenty of experience with disapproving parents.”

 

“I have been on the receiving end of your father’s disapproval,” And he can be very disapproving. He never approved of me and Laurel, he was right not to.

 

“He blames himself more than he blames you,” she blindsides me. “He thinks that maybe if he and Sara were closer she would have told him about the boat trip. And he could have stopped her from going with you.”

 

“I am sorry,” I tell her meaning every word. If I could change things I would, Sara should never have gone through what she did. At least I had Yao Fei, then Slade, and finally Shado. Sara had no one until the boat that plucked her out of the ocean came to the Island.

 

“You apologised already,” she shrugs it off and looks away.

 

“And it will never be enough,” It never will, I can never take back what I did to Laurel and Sara, to their family because of my thoughtlessness and selfishness.

 

We end up gazing at each other and she blinks first, “Ollie?”

 

“Yeah?” I watch as she sits up pulling her knees up nervously.

 

“You were on the Island with Sara and the Alphas,” She says softly.

 

“Yes I was,” I wonder where she’s going with this.

 

“We keep trying to get information about Sara, but everyone is blocking us and saying things like classified to us. What are the Alphas like? Are they good to Sara?” And Laurel has given me a possible reason why no one’s mentioned I’m Bonded and Mated, apparently it’s still classified. Which is stupid. Only what happened could be classified, me being Bonded is not going to cause major intelligence leaks to happen.

 

And finally there is something I can give to Laurel and her family to help put their minds at rest. “There are three Alphas,” I turn and rest my arm on the couch. “Yao Fei is the primary Alpha, he leads, we follow. Slade and Shado are the other Alphas and they’re equal in standing. Sara is Bonded to all three of them and she’s thrived under their attention, they call her their little bird. Shado found out about Sara’s canary and it took about five seconds for the nickname to stick,” I let my head rest on my arm. “She wasn’t convinced to start with but she accepts it now.”

 

Chuckling I relax and let my guard down a little, “Sara was so unimpressed with her new nickname at first that she deliberately got each of them back.” Laughing I remember Slade’s face as the booby trap exploded and covered him in dirt, or how Sara managed to mess with Yao Fei’s herbs, and finally how she set up Shado’s bedding so it looked okay but she’d tucked it in such a way Shado floundered getting into it and fell to the floor in surprise.

 

“Was she okay?” Laurel looks concerned.

 

“Yeah,” I smirk because each of them got their own back and in the process Yao Fei found a fellow botanist, Slade got a much better pupil than me in hand to hand combat, and Shado found her Mate. “They would never hurt Sara, they can’t, they love her.”

 

She nods and in the silence I hear a noise that doesn’t belong. I jerk myself into full combat mode. Something is wrong. “Did you hear that?”

 

“What?” She looks around blankly obviously not hearing anything wrong.

 

I’ve learnt to trust my instincts so when she glances away I pick up the kitchen knife from the table. “There’s someone on the fire escape.”   I get to my feet silently and grab her hand, “Come on,” and I try to lead her to safety.

 

The front door is knocked down by an Alpha so we have to backtrack, I try other exits but each time I’m thwarted by men with guns. I have to get Laurel out of here, she’s family, and I have to protect my family.

 

A white haired female Omega steps into my path and I’m not fooled into thinking she’s anything but dangerous. If the blades she’s flourishing didn’t give it away then Slade once told me that the most dangerous foe you could ever face was an Omega. Normally our instincts make us docile and gentle, but those same instincts can be roused when our families are threatened, instincts that cause us to destroy the threat no matter the cost. The most efficient assassins and killers in this world are Omegas, trigger them and they will never stop until they’ve completed their missions.

 

I’m well aware that my obsession with my father’s list is similar, but I have three Alphas to keep me on a path that minimises the deaths, they will keep me grounded so I don’t become a merciless killer. They will keep me sane and human. And they will help me make my city safer for everyone including my family.

 

The click of a gun gets my attention and I turn my head in time to see one of the gunmen being shot. Diggle is here and he takes down another attacker before the white haired Omega tackles him. She’s better than him, her attacks are lethal and brilliant, he can’t win against her.

 

I can’t get a good angle where I am to throw my knife, I have to move and leave Laurel behind. I get into position and as the Omega’s hand comes up to deliver a killing blow to Diggle. I throw my knife and disarm her of one of her knives. It’s enough to make her flee the scene.

 

Laurel crashes into my side and I pull her into a hug. Diggle quickly retrieves his gun from the floor. “Are you hurt?” He asks me.

 

“No,” I tell him and let Laurel cling to me.

 

“Are you hurt Mr Queen?” He asks me again.

 

“No, no” I make my voice firm.

 

“This is why it’s a good idea to have a bodyguard,” Mr Diggle says as the sound of sirens filters through the broken windows.

 

Starling City Laurel Lance’s Apartment Now: Quentin Lance

 

He pushes his way in as a body on a stretcher passes him. He knows his little girl is okay but he has to see her with this own two eyes. “Daddy,” she spots him and hugs him tightly. She’s okay, his little Laurel is okay.

 

It takes mere seconds for her to pull back and ask about the cops that were supposed to be guarding her. Queen’s bodyguard breaks the news. Which reminds him to thank the man and offer him free passes on running red lights in the city. He owes this man for his daughter’s life and he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to repay him.

 

It doesn’t stop him taking a verbal swipe at Queen, because wherever that kid is, his daughters always seem to get hurt. He warns the boy off his Laurel, the last daughter he still has left.

 

The Queen Mansion Now: John Diggle

 

Sitting and staring at the bandage on his hand he hears his client walking down the hall. The icepack he gets thrown is very welcome and Oliver says, “I’d say thank you but I don’t think that’d cover it.”

 

“Like I told your cop friend I was just doing my job,” John replies and sighs as the cold numbs the ache in his hand. “Besides I think it should be you I should be thanking.”

 

Oliver gives a very good act of being confused, “What for?” He asks like he genuinely doesn’t know.

 

“The knife,” John says and watches understanding dawn on the kid’s face.

 

“Oh, the knife,” Oliver nods, “I got lucky,” he brushes if off like it was nothing.

 

“That was a kitchen knife, it wasn’t even weighted properly, yet you threw it with accuracy across a ten foot room,” and John knows experts that can’t do that, people that have trained for years, and most of them would have failed at something Oliver Queen did without even trying.

 

“Exactly,” The kid tries to wiggle out of it, “I got lucky.”

 

“I’m not the kind of man you want to take for a fool Mr Queen. You understand me?” John warns him, because there is so much more to this Omega than he lets show.

 

“Yes,” Oliver says without flinching from his gaze.

 

“I think I’m just starting to understand the kind of man you are,” John says and he is. This is an Omega, one who’s Bonded to three Alphas but only seems to be Mated to one of them. He can give John the slip and vanish without a trace. He threw a knife across a room with enough accuracy and momentum that it knocked the dagger out of the woman’s hand before she could kill John. This is no ordinary man standing in front of him.

 

“Shouldn’t take you very long, I’m shallow,” his client says and he’s wrong, so very wrong, he’s many things, but shallow isn’t one them. “I’m very tired so,” he turns to walk away from John, “Goodnight.”

 

John is left staring after him and knowing Oliver just lied to him, the kid isn’t tired, not really, and he’s not acting like someone who’s unused to violence should. In fact he’s calm, poised, and he reminds John of a predator, a very dangerous one.


	6. Chapter 6

Starling City Abandoned Factory Now: Oliver Queen

 

I’d wanted to give Martin Somers the chance to confess and face a court’s justice. But he choose to go after someone I care about instead. He choose to attack one of my family. He’s still going to face justice, it’ll just be a different kind.

 

I dress in my suit and head out to the docks, time to pay him one final visit.

 

Starling City Docks Now: Martin Somers

 

Stuffing the bag with money he hurries as best he can, “Triad bitch screwed up the hit on Lance. Now the Triad are going to erase every ounce of evidence of their smuggling operation, including me.” He keeps emptying the drawers praying he has the time left.

 

“Except that’s not going to happen,” He mutters, “Tell Wallis to get the boat ready I’m leaving tonight,” he orders one of his men, he’ll leave them all behind to face the Triad and slow those killers down to give him as much of a head start as he can get.

 

“Wallis,” The man says into the walkie talkie. “Wallis you copy? Wallis.”

 

Pausing Martin realises it’s already too late. And then one of the voices he was fearing says, “Wallis isn’t here, but I am,” He’s run out of time, the Vigilante arrived before he could fully escape.

 

He has one last chance left, “We need to move. Now,” He barks the order.

 

“Sir, we’ve got six men out there,” The idiot with the walkie talkie argues with him.

 

“It’s not going to be enough,” Martin snaps and runs for his life.

 

Starling City Laurel Lance’s Apartment Now: Laurel Lance

 

Still shaken from the attack she listens as her dad tries to get her to run away from the Somers trial. He actually tells her that she has to step down from the trial or drop it all together. He doesn’t understand that this has done nothing but make her want to pursue it even harder, this man and his connections thought they could just kill her, just like they did Emily’s father, she’s survived and she’ll use that to take them down.

 

Her dad threatens to lock her in a cell and then tries to use Sara against her, she turns the tables on him and while it doesn’t make her feel that good she refuses to back down.

 

“You’re my only daughter Laurel,” He steps up to her and she remembers what Oliver said about Sara, about how loved she is, and she believes him. “You’re all I have left to live for,” and she remembers how her parents split up, how her dad nearly destroyed himself.

 

“What you want for me isn’t living,” she tries to point out the flaws in his logic and they argue about how he taught her to use the law to fight. He looks so broken that she says, “Dad? When Oliver was here, I asked him about Sara. About the Alphas.”

 

“Damn it Laurel,” He goes back to yelling, “I don’t need to be told how she’s suffering. I can’t protect her. I can’t. She belongs to them now.”

 

“Dad!” She moves closer and shakes his shoulder, “Listen to me, please. He told me about them, I know their names now. I know they call Sara their little bird after that damn canary that used to chirp all night. I know they love her. They love her dad.”

 

He pauses and there’s such naked hope in his face, “Queen said that?”

 

“Yes, he was telling me about them when we were attacked, he didn’t seem to know that we keep running into classified roadblocks, he was surprised by it. He was happy to tell me about them,” she slides her arm around him and feels him shake.

 

“Sara’s really okay?” He chokes it out.

 

“Yeah dad, I think she really is, I don’t know why they’re blocking us from her, but she’s okay,” She can feel the tears running down her face.

 

His phone starts ringing and he fishes it out of his pocket with a growl of annoyance, “Lance,” his voice breaks as he says his name. Someone says something to him and he nods, “”I’ll be right there,” he clicks his phone off. “I have to get that.”

 

“Okay,” She nods and lets him leave hoping that Oliver told her the truth about her sister.

 

Starling City Docks Now: Oliver Queen

 

They’re completely disorganised, I’m able to pick them off methodically, Slade would be ashamed to call this a fight. Even Yao Fei would sigh at how terrible they are, they’re relying on their guns too much, they have no sense of how to fight as a team.

 

Not that I mind, it makes it so much easier for me to get through them to my target. A target I see fleeing the scene by ducking into a building, he’ll have to do better than that to escape me.

 

My first arrow is aimed to pin him to the crates, the second just stabilises him and holds the hidden microphone near his head. I ramp up my aura and make it is as Alpha as I can, I add in as much command as possible and throw it at him and I tell him, “I want the truth about Victor Nocenti.”

 

“I can’t,” He shakes his head, “The Triad will kill me,” It’s not much of a confession, I need more from him.

 

“The Triad’s not your concern right now,” I shoot a third arrow down between his legs, he screams in fear. As tempted as I am to just kill him for trying to harm my family, my Laurel, I need him to talk first.

 

“Alright, alright, it wasn’t me that killed him, it was the Triad,” Somers confesses. He’s hiding something though.

 

“Acting on whose instructions?” I question because if it wasn’t Somers then I’m going to have to find this new person. I have to fire another arrow just over his head as I scream, “Who?” To get him to answer.

 

“Alright, alright, it was mine,” is the final part of the confession that I need. “It was mine alright. Nocenti said he was going to testify against me.” And with that Martin Somers’ removes himself from my father’s list. I have to work not to listen to my instincts to kill this man for trying to hurt Laurel, but I need him alive to act as an example to all the others on the list, this way they’ll be more cooperative and my job will be faster.

 

Only the slight flicker of his eyes lets me know there’s someone behind me, I turn defensively to find the white haired Omega there. “Move away from him,” she orders me in Mandarin.

 

“Make me,” I throw back at her. The instincts I’m holding in check for Martin Somers I release against her. She would have killed Laurel and I can’t let that slide. Laurel is family. Laurel has to be protected.

 

The fight is fast and brutal, thankfully I’ve already seen her fight against Digg so I’m ready for some of her moves and can block them. She’s good though, really good, and I have to work to keep up with her and land blows of my own. Bit by bit the fight goes against me, she has me on the defensive.

 

“This is the police. Drop your weapons,” Comes from outside and it breaks our fight up. Neither of us wants to be caught here. She exits one way, I flee another, we both leave Martin pinned to the crates.

 

I climb up onto a container to evade the police. Dropping down the far end and with my goal in sight I’m brought up short when Detective Lance yells, “Freeze.” He’s right behind me and he’s alone. That gives me more options that he thinks I have.

 

“You twitch and you’re dead,” He warns me. I don’t twitch. We stay frozen for a few seconds and then he says, “Bow down. Hands up.”

 

I don’t do that, I throw the recording at him and take his gun out of his hand at the same time. I pin them both to the side of the container and while he’s distracted I leave the area. The recording will start automatically and Lance will get to hear Somers’ full confession.

 

Starling City Docks Now: Quentin Lance

 

Damn it.

 

His gun is stuck on one of the Vigilante’s mini arrow thingys. A mini arrow that’s flashing green for some reason. Looking around the dock he can’t see the Vigilante anymore either. Going to get his gun back he reaches for it as it suddenly starts playing a recording. It’s Somers, he’d recognise that voice anywhere, and Somers’ is confessing to ordering Victor Nocenti killed.

 

“Son of a bitch,” Lance swears. This will help put Somers away and keep his daughter safe but it came from the Vigilante and Lance wants to bury the guy.

 

The rest of his team drive up now the action is over and Lance is not looking forward to filling in the reports on this one.


	7. Chapter 7

Starling City Abandoned Factory Now: Oliver Queen

 

Laurel was right.  I can’t be the Oliver my mother wants me to be and still keep the promise I made to my father.

 

I have to be the person I need them to see me as.

 

Starling City Applied Science Division Plot: Oliver Queen

 

I lurk just out of sight and watch as the opening starts to happen.  I see Tommy and Laurel standing near each other in the crowd. He’s attentive towards her and she’s friendly but nothing more.  It’s a pity because I love both of them, I know Laurel would be an amazing influence on Tommy, if I’d been less of a selfish idiot she would have done that for me, I’m just a little worried about Tommy, he seems to have cleaned his act up but he’s still not grown up yet.

 

“Good afternoon,” Walter takes to the stage. “And thank you all for coming,” he’s carrying a golden spade.  “Welcome to the future site of the Robert Queen Memorial Applied Sciences Centre.”  Mom and Thea are sitting there quietly backing him up and the moment he stops talking they clap along with everyone else.

 

“Now this is a building that will stand as a monument to the man whose company and vision are some of his greatest legacies,” I was going to interrupt at this point but I’ve hurt him enough recently.  Instead I creep up on Tommy and Laurel and stand there sipping from an opaque bottle and clutching a plush kangaroo teddy bear, one that you’d give to a child.

 

Walter’s speech is informative, funny, and heartfelt. He even manages to make the ceremonial ‘breaking ground’ moment look good and not faked.  All the while my family are glancing at their watches and not frowning for the cameras.  They’ve noticed I didn’t turn up, I’ve sidestepped part one of mom’s attempt to force me into the company.

 

Tommy is the first to notice me and his eyes widen in shock as he notices what I’m drinking and then the toy.  The drink is a new thing for Omegas for when they’re trying for kids.  It’s supposed to help increase their fertility and also provide them with all the prenatal vitamins and minerals.  It’s a lot like a smoothie and it tastes like fruit, I think I like it and I’ll be ordering lots to come to the house for me and Sara.  “Ollie, you made it,” He grits out.

 

“Hey Tommy, Laurel,” She jumps and gives me a look, until she too notices the drink, she frowns but doesn’t mention it, mostly because there are group family photos going on and someone else has noticed I’m missing.

 

Walter clears his throat and tries to answers the press’s questions about me not being there, “Well, Oliver.”

 

“Is right back here,” I wave to my family with the hand holding the cuddly toy, and step forward to wade through the press.  I bound up onto the podium to stand next to my family.  “Sorry Walter, you were doing such a good job I didn’t want to interrupt.”  Slinging my arm around his shoulders and letting the toy rest there, I take another sip from the bottle as various cameras flash to take photos of us.  “The thing with the spade?  I was impressed, most people look stupid doing that, you totally pulled it off.”

 

“Thank you Oliver,” He says calmly and I feel his arm come around my back slowly as if he’s not sure how I’m going to react. I lean into him and accept the one armed hug with more grace than I would have done when I first got home.  I’ve had time to see this man and how he treats my mom and my sister.  He’ll never be able to replace my dad, but then he’s not trying to, he’s simply being a good man to my family.

 

Mom and Thea join us for proper group photos, I hide the bottle behind my back leaving the cuddly toy in view and give my best winsome smile.  I learnt how to do that years ago, I’ve had to deal with the press since I was a baby, it’s one of the few things I didn’t miss on the Island.

 

Having done my family duty I leave the stage and finish the bottle, making sure the label is nice and clear for the press to catch on camera.  I graciously let Digg tag along as I leave, I have more of these drinks to buy, and a few baby books too so I can leave them around the house.

 

Starling City CNRI Now: Laurel Lance

 

Watching Emily Nocenti walk away Laurel is so glad that she got the chance to see Emily’s father’s killer arrested.  Now the DA was going to prosecute Laurel is sure that Martin Somers would finally face justice for all of his crimes.

 

She’s surprised when she sees her own dad walk in, “I thought I didn’t need police protection anymore,” she tells him annoyed at his over protective dad act.

 

“I thought I didn’t need a reason to see my own daughter,” he counters.

 

“You don’t,” she says.  “You look tired.”

 

“Yeah I was filling out reports on the shootout at the port last night,” He sighs and looks frustrated. “And getting grilled about how I let that archer get away.”  He pinches the bridge of his nose, “Actually I’ve been thinking over what you said last night, about what Queen said,” he swallows and it’s like he just swallowed a bug, “I was kinda wondering if Queen was still in contact with those Alphas, and Sara. I mean is he getting blocked by all that classified bullshit?”

 

“Dad,” She thinks over his words and then realises what he’s asking, “I’ll talk to Oliver, I’ll ask if he can do anything so we can find out more about Sara.”

 

“Yeah, okay,” He fidgets in place, “That’d be good Laurel,” she knows he hates Oliver so she knows this must be hard for him to ask Oliver for help.  Standing up she hugs him.

 

“I love you dad,” She holds onto him and hopes that Oliver can help them reconnect to Sara.

 

“Love you too Laurel,” he says and hugs her back.

 

The Queen Mansion Now: Oliver Queen

 

I click the pen and strike a line through Martin Somers’ name in my father’s book.  One more name has been removed from the list.  There’s one less person to poison my city.

 

On the desk my cell phone rings, it’s Laurel.

 

Lian Yu Then: Oliver Queen

 

I’d staggered all the way up to the top of the rocks with my father’s body.  I laid him as gently as I could on them.  It was then that I discovered the small brown note book in his pocket.  As I flicked through it I found that all the pages were blank and empty.  All except the front where a strange glyph was drawn.

 

I had no idea what the book would eventually mean to me.

 

Starling City Now: Moira Queen

 

She waits in her car and wishes she didn’t have to have this meeting.  Oliver was so focused on his Alphas and Sara he was wandering around a bit aimlessly, though all his actions screamed nesting.  He didn’t ask anything about any names on the list, he still occasionally lost his bodyguard but rarely stayed away longer than an hour and he was texting Mr Diggle now.

 

This morning Moira had gone to the fridge herself for something to find it half full of those new drinks for Omegas.  If Oliver wasn’t pregnant within a week of his Alphas getting here then she suspects he’s going to go into Heat with spectacular results.

 

Another car draws up next to hers and she exits her car with as much grace as she can manage.  Sliding into the other car she pastes on a confident smile. “Well you saw for yourself, all those pictures of Oliver’s drink, he doesn’t know anything.  If he did he wouldn’t be so focused on nesting right now, he wouldn’t feel safe enough to do that. Robert didn’t tell him anything, and he has no idea that the yacht was sabotaged.”  She gets a nod as an acknowledgement and tries not to breathe out in relief.

 

The Queen Mansion Now: Oliver Queen

 

Walking down to the graves I stare at my father’s and kneel down, “All that time on the Island plotting my return,” I tell him, “I didn’t realise how hard it would be to reconnect with mom, Thea, Laurel.  And I didn’t,” I have to take a moment to collect myself.  “I didn’t know how painful it would be to keep my secrets.  You asked me to save the city, to right your wrongs, I will. I swear. But to do that I can’t be the Oliver that everyone wants me to be, that means sometimes to honour your wishes, I might not be able to honour your memory. I’m sorry.”

 

Standing up I walk to the work men and order them to, “Take it down,” they’ll be taking my gravestone down tonight.  I’m here and I’m alive, I don’t need a tomb stone just yet, I’ve got too much to do.

 

Mr Diggle has the car ready for me, inside is my laptop, I’ve been talking to my Alphas about Laurel and Sara.  We’ve agreed this is the best way.  Sara’s really nervous but we’ll all be there with her, she’s not alone.

 

“Will we be going out tonight sir?” Mr Diggle asks me.

 

“Definitely,” I say as I slide into the car and I give him the address, he looks a bit surprised but doesn’t say anything.

 

Lian You Then:  Oliver Queen

 

I put the last stone down on my father’s grave.  The seagulls would never be able to get to him there.  He was safe from them.  Standing up I stared down at the grave and I had no idea what I was supposed to do next.  I had no idea how to get off this island, or how to survive.

 

Inside I didn’t really care if I survived or not.

 

I was so numb from losing Sara, my father, from the ordeal of the Queen’s Gambit going down, of drifting for days.

 

There was a strange noise and pain exploded through my right shoulder, I screamed in agony and I could barely register that something just like an arrow was sticking out from where the white hot pain was coming from.

 

My legs chose that moment to collapse under me dropping me down to the stone and my father’s grave.  Twisting around I saw a hooded figure on the rocks below.  He pulled another arrow out of the holder on his back and began to draw the bow.

 

Exhausted, thirsty, hungry, grieving, and lost, I let my head fall forward and I didn’t even try to fight.  I just wanted it to be over.  My last thought was of my father and Sara. It wouldn’t be long now until I was reunited with them.

 

Starling City Quentin Lance’s Apartment Now: Oliver Queen

 

Knocking politely on the door I wait for someone to let me in.  It’s Laurel, thankfully, even though this is partly her dad’s idea I’m sure he still disapproves of me.

 

“Hey,” She greets me, “Come in,” she steps back and I walk in with Mr Diggle slipping in behind me, I thought having him around would mean less chance of her father shooting me. I let her guide me to a small cramped lounge and luckily her dad does have wifi.  Booting up my laptop I link it in as Detective Lance gets drinks.

 

“So Queen,” He’s standing there with full glasses in his hands, “Why the laptop?  I thought we were just making a call,” I pretend I don’t notice the way his hands are shaking slightly.

 

“Yao Fei decided this was better,” I tell him and work out what angle to put the screen so the built in camera will capture them while they sit on the couch.  I load Skype and log in.  They’re already waiting. I press the call button and kneel on the floor, I’m close enough they’ll see me but I won’t block their view of Laurel and her dad.

 

“Skype?” Detective Lance catches on quickly, “We can see Sara?”  He all but falls onto the couch nearly spilling his drink in the process.  Laurel is right behind him.  By the time the call is accepted they’re both sitting down and leaning forward eagerly.

 

On screen the picture comes to life and Sara is sitting on a couch on their end in China, Yao Fei and Shado are on either side of her, with Slade leaning over the back of the couch and incidentally managing to flex his muscles at the same time.

 

Yao Fei manages to look effortless calm and totally in charge at the same time, “Oliver.”

 

“Yao Fei,” I bow my head down like a good little Bonded Omega, “May I have the honour of introducing Sara’s father Quentin Lance, and her sister Laurel.” I quickly carry on, “And these are our Alphas Yao Fei, Shado, and Slade.”

 

“Our Alphas?” Detective Lance bites out and stares first at me and then the screen.  Laurel just stares at me.

 

“Indeed,” Yao Fei says, “Oliver has told us how no one knows he is Bonded too.  That we are his Alphas just as we are Sara’s.  He also told us that you were not being given a chance to talk to your daughter.  That is not right.  So we decided that you should be given that opportunity.”

 

Sara gives a little weak wave to the camera, “Hey dad, hey Laurel.”

 

Mr Lance chokes out, “Sara, sweetheart, you doing okay baby?”  I’ve never seen him with tears in his eyes but that’s what’s happening now.

 

“Yeah,” Sara nods too, “I’m good daddy, I promise I’m good.”

 

“Sara?” Laurel barely whispers her sister’s name and she’s got tears running down her face.

 

“Laurel,” Sara reaches out a hand, “Oh god, Laurel, I’ve missed you all so much,” And now Sara’s starting to cry too.  All three Alphas instantly fuss her and she sobs, “I’m okay, really, I’m happy, I’m just happy.”

 

Slade’s hands are rubbing her shoulders, “Sure little bird, that’s why you’re crying.  Damn I thought Oliver was the soft one of the group.”   He gives me one of his smirks and then goes back to comforting Sara, “Don’t worry little bird, you’ll be home soon, you’ll see them in person.”

 

“You’re coming home?” Laurel says and then Mr Diggle saves the day by handing out some tissues he’s found.  It gives Mr Lance and Laurel a chance to dry their faces.

 

“Yes,” Shado says as she curls up around Sara, “Sara and I will be in Starling City soon.  Slade has to go to Australia first,” the man in question rolls his eyes, “And then my father, Yao Fei, will join us after that.  We will all be living in Sara and Oliver’s city.”

 

I butt in, “They’re moving in with me, mom said we could live there, and there’s plenty of room for nurseries and children’s rooms.  Oh,” I twist to see the screen fully, “I’ve found this great drink, it tastes amazing and it has all the prenatal vitamins and stuff, you’re gonna love it Sara.”

 

She’s wiping at her eyes too, “Thanks Oliver, I can’t wait to get home.”

 

Leaning back I wait for the big family reunion only no one says anything the three of them just stare at the screens like they’re trying to memorise each other’s faces.

 

My eyes are drawn to Slade more than the other Alphas, his eyes are twinkling, he’s so up to something, “So Oliver, are you being good and sticking with your bodyguard?”

 

“Yes Slade,” I use my most put upon voice, “I haven’t given Mr Diggle the slip for longer than a few hours, long enough to see to, well, you know.”

 

“Good,” Slade nods and I know he’s about to embarrass me, he says in a very innocent tone, “I’ll be there soon Oliver, I’ll knot you good and proper, just try and stay out of trouble until we can get there to protect you.”

 

“Slade,” I hiss his name and get to see Sara’s family react to his little announcement of knotting me.  Lance looks like he swallowed something bad and Laurel is just in shock.

 

“What? It’s perfectly natural Oliver,” He’s so doing this on purpose.  “And keeping you out of trouble is a full time job. You can’t even walk along a forest path without getting into trouble.  Only you could find an old land mine to step on.”

 

I don’t bother holding back my reply, it’s automatic to verbally spar with him, I’ve been doing it for years, “That was one time Slade.  One time.”

 

“It was also a time I had to slaughter over a dozen mercenaries just to save your little Omega arse.  Though rolling one of their dead bodies onto the mine to free you was a genius idea,” He’s grinning at me daring me to come back at him.

 

“Three Slade,” I’m not letting him get away with that, “There were only three of them.  And yes it was a good idea because I kept my leg, but still only three of them.”

 

Sara huffs at us, “Get a room you two. Honestly you two never stop,” she starts to laugh, “He’s been too quiet without you around Oliver, I think he’s been moping.”

 

“I don’t mope,” Slade tells her and flicks one of her ears.  “That would require being soft and emotional. I don’t do emotional attachments.”  All four of us scoff at that.  “Fine I might have made four exceptions to that rule, but that’s all.”

 

It has broken the ice a bit for Sara because she asks her sister about school and how her dad is getting on with his cases.  No one mentions her mom until right near the end.  Laurel gives her their mother’s phone number and Sara promises to call her.  Just before they sign off they all tell me they love me, I hold my hand up and out to them, “I love you all too, I can’t wait until you’re here with me, I miss you.”

 

As I power down the laptop I can feel two pairs of eyes boring into my back, in the end it’s Mr Lance that breaks first, “You’re Bonded too?”

 

“Yes,” I nod.  “We were stranded on the Island, there were lots of dangers, apparently those are classified and I can’t tell you about them, so it made sense to Bond us, at first just to keep us safe, and then I fell in love with Slade, and Sara fell in love with Shado.  They’re our main Alphas and our Mates.” I hope that helps him I glance over to him, “We all love Sara Mr Lance, and Shado would never let any harm come to her, she’d die first.”

 

I get a few jerky nods from him and then he asks, “Land mines?”

 

“The Island was mined by the Japanese during World War 2, I managed to find one of the few remaining active ones, and Slade has never let me forget it,” I chuckle softly, “The number of mercenaries he killed to save me goes up each time too.”

 

“Mercenaries?” Laurel looks horrified.

 

“Yeah,” I shrug, “Sorry that bit’s classified at the moment, there are various governments chasing down some leads on that part.  They’re still tracking down their employer, Interpol was really interested,” they both understand cases so they don’t ask anything else about the Island.

 

Picking up my laptop I tell them, “Sara and Shado will be here soon, but if you want to talk to her again before then,” I fish in my pocket and pull out the number of the phone they’re using right now, “Call them on this number. Or ask me and I can Skype them for you.”

 

“Did it hurt?” Laurel blurts out.  “When they Bit you.  Did it hurt?” 

 

“No,” I shake my head and then put the laptop back down.  “If the Omega is willing and trusts the Alpha, it doesn’t hurt at all, it feels good.”  I undo the top few buttons of my shirt.  Shoving the material to one side I kneel back down so they can see the interlocking three Bites.  “They healed immediately.  And see how clear they are?  Sara’s are just like that.”  Laurel’s hand hovers like she wants to touch. I have to snag her hand and pull it to the Bites.

 

Her fingers trace the Bites and I hide my instinctive reaction of wanting to pull away, “They’re so smooth, I can’t feel the scars at all,” she says with awe.

 

I smile at her, “I have complete trust in my Alphas Laurel, they would never hurt me, they can’t any more than they can Sara.  We are theirs to protect, to care for, we are their anchors, they love us.”

 

Detective Lance surprises me when he too reaches out to touch the scars, “Oh god, I’ve never seen Bites like these, normally they’re messy and the skin is all ripped up.  And you swear Sara’s are just like these ones?”

 

“I swear,” I tell him and he nods accepting what I’ve told me.

 

I pull away from them and rebutton my shirt, it’s time for me to go home, I’ll sneak out of the house tonight to find my next target, no need to upset Mr Diggle or my mom by vanishing when I’m in plain sight.

 

Starling City Now: Mr Diggle

 

He weaves the car through the light night time traffic as he drives Mr Queen home.  He got to see more of what he considers the real Oliver during that short interaction with the Alpha called Slade.

 

He also wonders if Detective Lance or Laurel Lance will work out that the whole thing was slightly staged.  Oliver only had to give them that number or even the email address for them to be able to contact Sara themselves, instead they found out about Oliver’s Bonding and then got distracted by their long lost relative.

 

Yes there was lots more to Oliver Queen than the boy ever let on.

 

Starling City Quentin Lance’s Apartment Now: Quentin Lance

 

He can’t believe he got to see his little girl, his little Sara.  She’s grown up so much in five years.  Scrubbing at his face he sits in the darkened living room on the couch and cries silently, she’s okay, she’s really okay.  Yes she was Bonded and Mated, but if the Queen kid was telling the truth, then it hadn’t been forced on her, the Alphas had proved themselves first and keep proving themselves to her.

 

And best of all she’s going to be coming home.

 

He’s given Laurel his bed for the night, she can’t stay in her own apartment just now, the super of the building was still putting in replacement windows for her.

 

The mentions of land mines and mercenaries has him worrying like crazy.  Yes these Alphas have protected his daughter, his Sara, in the past, but here they should be safe.  Then he remembers the docks and his blood runs cold.  There’s a mad man in a hood running around this city.  Queen said Sara was moving into their castle like home.  And the vigilante targets the rich.

 

Oh god his Sara could get caught up in the hood guy’s one man war.

 

Watching the sun come up over the city Quentin swears he’s going to catch this guy no matter what it takes, no one is going to threaten his little girl ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this one too, I promise the Alphas will be there soon :)


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